Project:
EQDirect cable

Contents:

1. EQDirect 9 pin D-sub cable
2. Adapter 9 pin D-sub to RJ45
3. EQDirect RJ45 cable
4. To be continued

Note:
I take no responsibility or liability for what are written here, you use the information on your own risk!

2: Adapter 9 pin D-sub to RJ45

This is the connector that is different from the EQ6 mount. It's a telephone / internet plug, a RJ45 eight pin connector. The EQ6 mount has a 9-pol D-sub connector.

I followed this instruction how to connect the cable:

• http://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/ eqdirect2.htm

I had one RJ45 cable with a broken contact in one end. I can use the working end of it and connect to the EQDIRECT cable I already have but with wrong contact, the 9-pol D-sub which EQ6 mount use.

First I check that the plug on the cable is mechanically correct.

The network cable is a bit stiff and I cut it short.

The old EQDIRECT cable I already have is an USB to 9-pol D-sub cable, this is the connector that I have to replace. On the other end it's USB terminal with built-in FTDI chip.

I open the enclosure, there are only three cables in there:
Green wire, RX connected to pin 6.
White wire, TX connected to pin 9.
Black wire, it's the common ground connected to pin 4 and 5.
RX is the receiver and TX is the transmitter cable.

According to the instructions above I should have a 12 Volt wire also, but there is no one here, I don't see what need it can be of it either. The chip must take the 5-volt power from the USB connector.

The pin layout of 9-pol D-sub:

• https://www.virtual-serial-port.org/ article/ what-is-serial-port/ rs232-pinout/

Note:
The function of each pin is different in this case.

Now I only have to connect cables to each other. Follow the first link and this how to connect them.

RJ45 pin layout:

• https://satoms.com/ ethernet-cable-pinouts/

Note:
The colors of the cables can be different.

I install a short bit of shrink tube on each wire and a big one around the whole cable. Important to not heat the shrink tube when soldering the cable. I try to protect it from heat with the crocodile clamp.

Second wire soldered.

The wire I don't use I keep, put a shrink tube on top of each to not make any short cut between them.

The outer shrink tube shrank and the cable is finished.

I bought this cable from a friend who had lot of problem with the communication over it, and another friend to me made this cable. We are not sure what caused this problem, if I also get in trouble I found this link that will be of great help:

• https://indilib.org/ forum/ mounts/ 6464-heq5-no-go-with-eqdir-only-with-pc-direct-handset-any-ideas.html

I took apart the USB contact to see what's inside.

With Windows system this driver is recommended for this cable, it has the FTDI chip:

• https://ftdichip.com/ drivers/ vcp-drivers/